Bailey locking differentials

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Model T Ford Forum: Forum 2012: Bailey locking differentials
Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Les Schubert on Monday, September 24, 2012 - 05:48 pm:

FINALLY I got my new Bailey locking differentials!! Now to trial fit and test them out. I have nothing for sale at this time as I have not had time to test any of the parts.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Les Schubert on Monday, September 24, 2012 - 05:50 pm:


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Jay - In Northern California on Monday, September 24, 2012 - 06:54 pm:

AWESOME! Keep us posted!


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Garnet on Monday, September 24, 2012 - 07:23 pm:

Geez, where you been hiding Les? And when are we going to see some pics of 5-main funnage ??

Garnet


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By John W. Oder - Houston, Texas on Monday, September 24, 2012 - 07:56 pm:

I am ready Les.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Erich Bruckner, Vancouver, WA on Monday, September 24, 2012 - 08:32 pm:

Can you give a review of what they do and how they do it?


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Les Schubert on Monday, September 24, 2012 - 08:56 pm:

It has a "ratcheting" action. In a corner the inside wheel can not turn slower than the "carrier" so the outside wheel has to turn faster. As such the differential will "click" as you go around a corner. This is under what we will call "normal driving conditions".
So what does it accomplish;
If you are driving in conditions where one wheel has poor traction with a standard differential most of the torque will go to that wheel and you may quickly become stuck (in the mud or snow or sand). With this the torque is sent to the wheel with the most traction. The one that is taking the most torque. Essentially it behaves like a "locked" rear axle in adverse conditions. In normal conditions you still get differential action. The "Bailey" unit was offered during the model T era and probably sold to people who had to drive on poor roads in adverse conditions. A potential customer could have been a rural mail delivery or similar service. Another potential application could be a dirt track race.
The unit I have made will be no better than the original. I have attempted to "reverse engineer" the design and make all parts to the same strength and wear resistance as the originals, but I have not attempted to make it "better than original"!!
The attached picture will give you some insight into it's construction.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Scott Gilham Bellflower Ca. on Monday, September 24, 2012 - 08:57 pm:

http://www.mtfca.com/discus/messages/257047/269777.html?1330138548

Link to more info


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Les Schubert on Monday, September 24, 2012 - 09:06 pm:

OK I will explain a little about what you can see in the picture.
The round object with the 8 half round notches is the new axle "gear". These are case hardened just as the originals. At the 3:00 and 9:00 positions you see two "dogs" and again these are made from hardened tool steel for toughness and wear resistance. The dog in the 3:00 position is engaged in the gear and would be driving this gear. The dogs are double ended and the one in the 9:00 would be driving the other axle gear. For this dog to let the other gear rotate the driving load has to be removed from one side. So unlike a regular differential the wheel on the inside of the turn can not turn slower than the "carrier".
I hope this helps explain it's operation.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Les Schubert on Monday, September 24, 2012 - 09:14 pm:

The one in the above link is what I started with as I won the ebay auction. My intention was to do a short production run (10 pieces) and make them available to other like minded "nutbars" Fortunately I was able to obtain the dimensions of the missing "dogbone" parts and then concluded a reasonable material specification.
Whether it is a good design or how durable to abuse it is, is unknown. Certainly the original displays some wear in high stress locations so I do not feel that it will withstand too many "burnouts" at the drag strip. But as a neat piece of T era stuff it is right up there


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By kep NZ on Tuesday, September 25, 2012 - 02:57 am:

How do they work in reverse?


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Mike Penserini on Tuesday, September 25, 2012 - 12:27 pm:

I can hardly wait, I feel like a kid at Christmas.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Donald Conklin on Tuesday, September 25, 2012 - 05:25 pm:

This should also have a positive effect on braking on "T's" without auxiliary brakes or if it should fail it would leave you with no brakes.

It would be neat to have in my used and abused depot hack with a Ruckstell.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Jay - In Northern California on Wednesday, September 26, 2012 - 09:27 am:

Ditto what Mike says!!


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Ed Baudoux on Wednesday, September 26, 2012 - 09:42 am:

Incredible effort on behalf of Les. Very useful in low traction situations like dirt tracks, as he has stated. You will be disappointed using a locking differential on hard surfaces, in which case they will make the car steer badly. One wheel will be driving, unless the other wheel slips. This is not in any way meant to discredit Les, I appreciate what he does. Just don't start bashing him, when you get one of his diffs, and don't like how it acts on the street.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Susanne on Wednesday, September 26, 2012 - 05:41 pm:

But on dirt or in the snow... One of those would be like golden. When (and if) you go about selling them, let us know... I'd be in line for one ;)


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Les Schubert on Thursday, September 27, 2012 - 01:02 pm:

Donald;
Unfortunately it will not fit into a Ruckstell. It would be possible I think to incorporate the design into a special for the Ruckstell but it is not in my plans
Ed's comment;
Hard to say, it won't be like a spool where on wheel has to slip for the car to turn. I would expect a bit "understeer" (only a bit) as the inside rear wheel will be driving and the outside rear wheel will be coasting along.
Kep;
The design works the same in both forward and reverse so it should be fine.
Braking;
It should prevent the situation where one wheel is locked up and the other wheel is spinning in reverse I believe. I have cured that with 4 wheel brakes on my car.
My project for myself is a "dirt track" type speedster using a 4.44-1 rear axle gear but with the addition of a .78-1 overdrive transmission. So I will have ground pounding torque in 3rd (direct) and civilized cruising in 4th (overdrive).
Nothing will be offered for sale until I have mine in service and I am satisfied that it is "bug free".


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